Page 90 - Žagar, Igor Ž. 2021. Four Critical Essays on Argumentation. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 90
four critical essays on argumentation
and the one we haven’t seen yet:
Figure 15. Fruit found on the Detroit River II.
Please inspect these photos carefully. Is there really such a resem-
blance between the two represented fruits that we can quickly identify the
fruit from the Detroit River as breadfruit? To put it in Groarke’s words, I
don’t see that resemblance.
Breadfruit, as we have seen, has a kind of knobbly skin with spines or
hard hairs, patterned with irregular, 4- to 6-sided face, while in the center
there is a cylindrical core. On the other hand, the skin of the fruit found
in the Detroit River seems smooth, without spines or hairs, covered with
smooth irregular bumps, no 4- to 6-sided face, and there seems to be no cy-
lindrical core in the centre (though that may be due to the lightning, the
angle or some other disturbing factor).
Introducing the necessity of the verbal
In such a case (where some items/entities look alike, but don’t quite the
same), just ‘seeing’ is not enough, and it is wise if not necessary to consult
other reliable sources, like verbal description.
Why verbal descriptions? Because in such a case there is not much
else one can consult. On the other hand, language is still the only commu-
nicative ‘medium’ that is (rather) linear, straightforward, and unambigu-
ous enough; in combination with pertinent visuals almost error-proof. And
90
and the one we haven’t seen yet:
Figure 15. Fruit found on the Detroit River II.
Please inspect these photos carefully. Is there really such a resem-
blance between the two represented fruits that we can quickly identify the
fruit from the Detroit River as breadfruit? To put it in Groarke’s words, I
don’t see that resemblance.
Breadfruit, as we have seen, has a kind of knobbly skin with spines or
hard hairs, patterned with irregular, 4- to 6-sided face, while in the center
there is a cylindrical core. On the other hand, the skin of the fruit found
in the Detroit River seems smooth, without spines or hairs, covered with
smooth irregular bumps, no 4- to 6-sided face, and there seems to be no cy-
lindrical core in the centre (though that may be due to the lightning, the
angle or some other disturbing factor).
Introducing the necessity of the verbal
In such a case (where some items/entities look alike, but don’t quite the
same), just ‘seeing’ is not enough, and it is wise if not necessary to consult
other reliable sources, like verbal description.
Why verbal descriptions? Because in such a case there is not much
else one can consult. On the other hand, language is still the only commu-
nicative ‘medium’ that is (rather) linear, straightforward, and unambigu-
ous enough; in combination with pertinent visuals almost error-proof. And
90
